Local Trends: Chicago DIY Deluxe

shefinds |

I see a lot of handbags during rush hour on the Red Line, and most of them are not to be envied (Laminated mini-gym bags? Really?) But about once per commute, I catch a glimpse of a bag that makes me want to run home and scour the couch cushions for change to start a new-bag fund. And usually, those bags are custom creations from 1154 Lill Studio.

Thereâ€™s a do-it-yourself outpost on Armitage, where Chicagoâ€™s crafty chicas can choose from 18 bag styles and more than 200 patterns and textures of fabrics to create their own carry-alls. Iâ€™ve avoided going myself because I know I would obsess over all the choices and end up blowing a fortune on bags and accessories. So until my “new-bag fund” change jar is full, Iâ€™m making a game of spotting Lincoln Park Trixies with their 1154 Lills and thinking of all the possibilities for my own bag.